


Day Fifty || Apple Tree

by 365daysofsasuhina



Series: 365 Days of SasuHina 2019 [50]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-20
Updated: 2019-02-20
Packaged: 2019-11-01 05:38:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,206
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17861357
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/365daysofsasuhina/pseuds/365daysofsasuhina
Summary: Hinata's love of plants has prompted her to start a new project: bonsai trees! And of the apple variety. Sasuke might not understand such a long-term hobby, but he'll watch and support nonetheless.





	Day Fifty || Apple Tree

“...what is that?”

“My new project!” With a soft clack, Hinata sets a pair of pots atop the front porch, alongside a bag of potting soil, and a small envelope.

“...some...plants?”

“Mhm!” Unburdened of her supplies, Hinata stands upright with a soft sigh, hands at the small of her back. “I’m going to try raising two bonsai trees.”

Sasuke perks a brow. “...like, the miniature trees?”

A nod.

“...what brought this on?”

After a small pause, Hinata’s expression sobers. “...I had one back when I lived with my father and sister. It had been one my mother had raised from a seed before she married my father. It was a wisteria tree...and it was beautiful. But…”

Shoulders wilt, and Sasuke glances to her carefully. “...when Konoha was attacked by Pein, the entire village was destroyed, including the Hyūga grounds.”

He knows that much. It’s why their current home - one of only three in the entire Uchiha compound - sits mostly in a large field of grass. The village had been kind enough to level the ground bequeathed to the clan, but none of the prior structures had been spared...nor rebuilt. Now all that takes up space thus far is his brother’s home, Shisui’s, and his own.

Which...is also Hinata’s.

“So, when we cleared through the rubble, o-obviously it didn’t survive. It was crushed, and the trunk snapped...the last living part of my mother was just...g-gone.” For a moment, it almost seems like she’s going to cry. “...b-but I promised myself, when I got married, and had a home of my own...then I would make a new tree. One for myself, and...to pass on to one of my children, if they wanted it.”

“...I see…”

They sit in silence for a few moments before Hinata looks back up, trying her best to smile. “...so! That’s what this is all for.”

“Will they be the same type?”

“No, I thought I’d try something different. Ino-chan talked me into it…” She reaches for and holds up the little package of seeds. “It’s for a-apple trees!”

“...apple…? Can a tree that small really make a fruit?”

“Mhm! She has one that grows cherries - it had so many! She said you can either let it have multiple blossoms, o-or just trim it down to one. The more blossoms, the smaller the fruit will be. But you have to have two, so they can pollinate each other.” She gives a shy little shrug. “...as much as I like flowers, and as beautiful as wisteria is...I thought something different might be fun to t-try. And I can always do more. They take longer to grow from a seed, so...I might get saplings if I try to do some other ones. But I wanted the first to be mine from the beginning, you know?”

“Mm.”

Curious, Sasuke stays and watches as she goes about setting up the pots. But to his surprise, she doesn’t plant them yet. “Do you have to wait?”

“I’m going to sprout them outside the pot first. Once they’ve grown a little, I’ll plant them! It takes between two and three months, because you keep them cold to simulate wintering! Here, I’ll show you.” Taking the seeds inside, she goes about carefully dampening a light cloth, wrapping the seeds, and sealing them in a container before putting them in the fridge. “In about...oh, eighty days or so, I-I can plant them!”

“Talk about a slow payoff.”

That earns a laugh. “Well, then they have to  _ grow _ . And it’ll be several years before they can grow any fruit. But that’s part of the fun - over time, you help prune and shape the trees with w-wires.”

“...wires?”

“Mhm! You wrap them around the branches -” she even mimes the motion “- and use that to carefully bend and shape them. It’s why bonsai have such unique shapes! You have to be diligent with them. Yes, it takes a long time, and effort...but it’s something you put all that energy into, and then get rewarded for your patience, and diligence.” Just to tease him, Hinata gives Sasuke a small, sly smile. “...just like people take time to change a-and grow. Like when we met - well, met again - when you came back. It took time, and patience. And now look at us.”

In spite of himself, he gives a soft snort of amusement. “...I guess I understand. I’ve never been one much for plants is all.”

“It definitely has to be something you care about. Kāsan loved flowers, so...she passed that love on to me. Hanabi...well, she’s not really ‘for plants’ either.” Hinata giggles into the cuff of her sleeve. “She prefers more...timely rewards for her efforts.”

“Hm...maybe I’ll get myself a cactus.”

“Oh, that would be so cute!”

...well, he was mostly joking, but...maybe that way he can pseudo-participate. Plants might not be his thing, but they  _ are _ hers. Why not give it a try, at least in some capacity?

Only a few days later, she does indeed get him a tiny little cactus: round, plump, and plenty spiny. “See? Isn’t it cute?”

“...sure,” he replies, unable to help a grin. “...I’ll call it Hari.”

That just makes her snort. A cactus named needle...that works.

More than two months later, Hari finds itself joined in the sunniest window ledge by two pots: each containing a newly-sprouted seed. While the little cactus isn’t watered nearly as often (which is good, because Sasuke forgets he even has the thing half the time), Hinata still gives it a cheerful good morning when she waters her own plants.

Slowly, oh so slowly, they begin to grow.

From there, progress is marked more around the plants than upon them. Three years after their marriage (and about two and a half since Hinata started her little project), a new little growth joins the family: a son, Tenkai. He sits in his mother’s lap when she carefully prunes and arranges the branches each Spring, and trims them every so often throughout the year. Two years later, little sister Chikyū is born. Little hands reach for the growing limbs, carefully guided aside by Hinata. Once she’s older, she’s taught to help.

Tenkai joins the Academy. And still no flowers. No fruit. Over eight years have passed now, and Sasuke begins to wonder if it will ever happen.

“It can take quite a while,” Hinata assures him. “I haven’t given up yet!”

Another two go by, and it’s nearly time for Chikyū to join her brother. And as the Spring approaches...little buds form along the branches. They grow to bursting...and then unravel into pretty white blooms.

A decade later, and Hinata’s patience has paid off.

It’s such a milestone, the little family goes so far as to have a celebratory dinner. “Well, in a few months, maybe we’ll have some apples to eat, hm?” Hinata laughs.

“We better, after all that work.”

“Hari’s going to be jealous.”

“Hari doesn’t need flowers or fruit. Hari just does what Hari does.”

“And what’s that?”

“...prick my finger whenever I try to say hello.”

The whole table laughs, three pots in the window silent in the evening shadows.

**Author's Note:**

> And late again. Though this time mostly due to a handful of family emergencies ^^; Excusable I hope, ahaha~ But we HAVE hit a milestone: fifty entries! And all without any late days! Well...late as in skipping and sleeping. I think y'all know by now most of mine happen after midnight, whoops...
> 
> Anyway, this prompt was...rather random, but I happened to recall a picture of an apple bonsai, and just...went from there! From what I read, it CAN take almost a decade for them to finally start to make fruit. Good thing Hinata's so patient!
> 
> Anyway, I'm...exhausted, so time to call it a night. We'll see about getting things done more timely tomorrow now that some of the worry has passed. Thanks guys for all your support, and thanks for reading!


End file.
